August

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We loathe this time of year, work-wise at least. It always feels like a) all the celebrities and trendsetters are vacationing in far flung (read: paparazzi free) locales, b) it's so freaking hot outside, no one's wearing fall clothes yet, and c) we're totally tired of spring's styles. Fortunately there are a few ladies who can pull us out of our doldrums and even manage to remind us why we love fashion. In this month's Tips, Peaches Geldof, Nicole Richie, and Rachel Bilson save us from our summer blues and show us a few smart outfit ideas.

1. Wear jewel tone accessories with neutral clothes
The WhoWhatWear.com office always celebrates the unexpected, so we were thrilled when we spotted a picture of Peaches Geldof wearing a bright blueberry beret with her otherwise neutral outfit. Seen here strolling in her North London neighborhood, Geldof wore a peachy nude vintage dress with a pair of Topshop Mandy Classic Ballet Shoes ($50), gray Topshop blazer, Long Silver Necklace ($9.90) from H&M, and D&G's Micol Envelope Clutch ($645, 877.70.DGUSA) with double zip closure. Much like Alexa Chung's Mulberry bag-plus-vintage-guitar-strap, Peaches customized her bag and added a strap to make it longer. Of course, the key to her whole look is the royal blue beret, which Geldof picked up from Just B Just in Germany. We found a simple and very similar version in almost the same hue ($6.95), but also enjoy the bright enthusiasm of Urban Outfitter's V Pointelle Beret ($24) in Dandelion Yellow.

2. Dress up your denim shorts with a hot pair of ankle boots
Normally you think of jean cutoffs as either beach garb or something for the weekend, but, as Nicole Richie recently showed us, with the right accessories you can transform them into a chic outfit. Seen here en route to lunch in West Hollywood, Richie upped the style ante by pairing her Siwy Camilla Shorts ($152) with a vintage scarf, Chanel glasses, and, as the piece de résistance, a chunky pair of Balenciaga ankle boots. While Richie's exact boots are from Fall 07, there are scores of similarly shaped shoes in stores now. Two of our favorites include Pura Lopez's Platform Ankle Bootie ($375) ($375.95) and the slightly dressier Report Signature Clinton Ankle Bootie ($225) in black patent leather.

3. Mix the proportions of baggy pants and tops with snug blazers
There are many tips that can be absorbed from Rachel Bilson's style as a whole, but today we're just going to focus on one well-assembled look. Bilson, seen here strolling in Los Feliz, deftly mixed a vintage pair of Levi's and 3.1 Phillip Lim's voluminous Swing Tank ($175, at Barneys) with a more body-conscious white blazer. (And a sweet pair of Chloe's Tamaris Aviators ($275) too!) If you'd like to emulate this look, obviously you can check your local thrift store or vintage boutique for a bleached out pair of 501s. Additionally, the Beverly Hills Levi's store (310.246.9044) has a selection of vintage jeans like Bilson's, ranging in price from $70-500, so that's another option. There are quite a number of excellent white blazers on sale now-we like the Elizabeth and James Elizabeth III ($149)-but of course you can use one of your darker fall jackets instead. As for tops, we found a few flowy shapes from you to choose from, including Mayle's Itati Camisole Top ($470), Topshop's Animal Print Racer Back ($50), J. Crew's Serengeti Tank ($98) and Forever 21's Tribal Bubble Top ($17.80).